John Riddell: Democracy in Lenin's Comintern

How did Communist parties handle issues of internal discipline and democracy in Lenin’s time? The recent intense discussion within the British Socialist Workers’ Party (SWP) and beyond has heard claims that the SWP rests on the traditions of democratic centralism inherited from the Bolsheviks.

Richard Atkinson: Death and the Bedroom Tax

Some extended thoughts about Stephanie Bottrill, the woman who committed suicide because of the bedroom tax.

Dave Renton: Who Was Blair Peach?

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the killing of Blair Peach by the police. David Renton looks back at Blair Peach’s life as a poet, trade unionist and committed antifascist

Bunny La Roche: Nasty Little Nigel gets a rude welcome to Kent

Bunny La Roche of RS21 on Nigel Farage's visit to Kent

Financial Appeal

Birkbeck SWSS calls for comrades to call for a special conference to address the current crisis within the SWP. The fallout from the Disputes committee report into allegations against comrade delta has developed into a crisis for our party. The CC’s handling of the matter since the conference has been both inadequate and misjudged.

Already the crisis has effected our intervention in NUS and will start to effect our intervention in trade unions and the labor movement.

We believe the following are things comrades must demand:

The CC must clarify Comrade Delta's on-going role in the party and our united fronts. This is not about deciding the comrade’s innocence or guilt but limiting damage to our party. The comrade has lost the trust of a significant number of comrades.

The party must formally consider positive proposals for changes to how the DC handles cases of this nature, including those that comrades were not allowed to raise at conference.

To censure the CC for its handling of this crisis post-conference. The party must act to rebuild trust, recognising that over a question of this nature declaring “we have voted” is not enough.

That we reject the CC’s arbitrary deadline for calls for a special conference. A special conference is a means of the membership holding the leadership to account - a vital part of democratic centralism. We reserve the right to wait for the decisions of the national committee before deciding whether to campaign for a special conference.